Stages Cycling Power Left

Read everything about Bikejungle user test of Stages Cycling Power here. In cooperation with Stages Cycling we are now looking for one lucky product tester for their product Stages Power.

Stages Power Left

The product featured in this test is a crank arm for the non drive side (left). Only replacing the left crank arm provides a quick, easy and cost efficient solution for converting your existing crankset to a power meter.

Requirements

You whould use the product in at least 2-3 cycling sessions per week during the test period.

You are probably a road cyclist, but cyclists of all disciplines are welcome to apply.

This test is open for EU residents.

Number of cyclists

For this test only one lycky tester will be selected.

Timeline

The test will start beginning in the end of July and continue for approximately 2 months

The task

For this test you will get the chance to try a Stages Power for 2 months free of charge. After the test is finished you can either return the product to Stages, or purchase it at a 20% discount from the recommended retail price. We are looking for a cyclist that is interested in structuring their training and have some previous experience from power meters, or is curious to try.

About Stages Cycling

Stages Power has carried riders to three consecutive Tour de France victories, plus many more world and national championships. If you believe racing provides the world’s best product proving ground, then Stages Power is proven as the world’s best power meter.

Active Temperature Compensation as standard equipment on Stages Power. Consistency of measurement is the most important feature of a power meter. Stages Power was the first meter to make temperature compensation an automatic process ensuring accurate readings no matter the environmental conditions. ATC is the key reason a rider can trust data from Stages Power in all conditions.

Individual meter calibration for the most accurate results. Each Stages Power meter is calibrated individually to ensure a +/- 1,5% accuracy level, which is an industry best for non-scientific power meters.

Further features:

▪ Accelerometer based cadence measurement or the option to use a Hall-Effect based system with magnet (coming soon)

▪ Wirelessly upgradable firmware

▪ LED indicator for visual indication of battery levels and zero reset confirmation without connected app or headunit

I have several friends who use a Stages power meter, having only ever ‘trained with power’ on an indoor trainer I was interested in seeing how useful it would be in the real world.

The Stages system uses a pod that is seamlessly bonded to the left side of a standard crank arm, discreetly hidden on the inside of the arm protects it from knocks but means the battery cover is easy to access. Remove the existing crank arm, install the new one with the meter on, pair to my Garmin 520 (very easy) and I was ready to go after using the Stages app to calibrate the unit.

It’s a single sided power meter, measuring your left leg and doubling the result. Only a problem if you have a significant discrepancy between legs, I’m only 2% down on the left leg according to a Wattbike so no big deal for me. If that is a problem for you then there is a substantially more expensive version, the Stages LR, that measures both legs.

I re-programmed a few Garmin screens to show different Power metrics and off I went on my first ride. For that ride and every one since I’ve experienced a perfectly reliable connection and consistent data regardless of weather conditions. I have read that some users have experienced water ingress leading to dramatically shortened battery life. I’m in Scotland, it rains a lot, yet I’ve been on the same battery for 3 months and the Stages app still reports its condition as full. A quick check under the battery cover shows everything is still dry too.

Prior to using a power meter, I followed a very unsophisticated training plan, generally ‘sweet spot’ (85% max heart rate) for every ride, it seemed to work for me, my FTP improving steadily through a season. Having access to a power meter opens up a world of structured training opportunities though, power is the definitive measure of performance, it doesn’t care about headwinds or tyre width and pressure. I’m a bit of a data nerd so poring over power output charts appeals to me and I enjoyed introducing more variety to my training using power data. Whether I made more gains using the meter than I would normally have, I don’t know, too many other variables for me to take in to account.

Any power meter is only useful if you plan to use it as a serious training tool and are prepared to learn to get the best from it. That might not be for everyone and if it isn’t then there really is no point in buying one. However, if you are in the market for one then I’ve been very impressed with the Stages offering and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable, accurate power meter to aid structured training. Unfortunately, I have to give this one back!